GainSpan GS2000 Wi-Fi/ZigBee IP chips and modules

GainSpan has released its GS2000 chips and modules. The single-chip solution brings together two IEEE low-power standard wireless technologies: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and ZigBee IP (802.15.4). It is claimed that the Wi-Fi/ZigBee IP chip will accelerate development and market adoption of battery and line-powered connected devices for the connected home, smart energy, metering, healthcare and high-speed audio, video and security applications.

Device and appliance manufacturers will no longer have to design for one or the other protocols, as they can use the same SoC to develop a design that supports either ZigBee IP and/or Wi-Fi, with IPv4 or IPv6, all in the same product. The product thus extends IP connectivity everywhere - Wi-Fi brings local connectivity to smart phones and remote connectivity through the internet, while ZigBee IP extends the reach of IP to more battery-operated devices, through the use of smaller channelisation and meshing.

The device is also suitable for Wi-Fi-only applications. It offers multi Mbps throughput for high-definition video and audio applications; good idle power consumption; fast wake-up performance from idle state; a long battery life; and a high receiver sensitivity capability for extended range operation.